Attachment for tampon applicator



July 3, 1962 G. M. GALIK ,0

ATTACHMENT FOR TAMPON APPLICATOR Filed June 30, 1959 FIG. I. FIG. 2.

INVENTOR GEORGE M. GALIK ATTORNEYS.

United States atent 3,042,040 latented July 3, 1962 ice 3,042,040ATTACI-lll IENT FOR TAMPON APPLICATOR George M. Galik, 19 Porach St.,Yonkers, N.Y. Filed June 30, 1959, Ser. No. 823,940 2 Claims. (Cl.128-263) This invention relates to an attachment for a tampon applicatorand particularly to a removable attachment for a tampon applicator tofacilitate withdrawal thereof after application of a tampon.

A common form of tampon applicator comprises telescoping inner and outertubes, the outer tube having an internal diameter and length suflicientto house and frictionally retain a tampon in one end portion thereof andthe inner tube having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the innerdiameter of the outer tube and being disposed in the other end portionthereof. The inner tube may be termed the ejector and when it is movedlongitudinally inwardly of the outer tube it forces the tampon out ofthe outer tube to thus apply the tampon. Generally the tampon andapplicator are sold as a complete unit.

It is not unusual in the use of tampons with conventional applicatorsfor the user to encounter difliculty in removing the applicator afterapplication of the tampon. This is due in general to the fact that thereis relatively little surface of the applicator which may be gripped bythe user to remove it after application of the tampon.

The present invention is directed to a detachable means connectible tothe conventional tampon applicator to pro- 9 vide it with a readilygrippable portion for removing the applicator after application of thetampon, and this is the major object of the present invention.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of anattachment for a tampon applicator which is readily attachable to anddetachable from the applicator for providing a readily grippable partfor removing the applicator after application of a tampon.

The above and other objects, characteristics and features of the presentinvention will be more fully understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing:

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an attachment for a tampon applicator embodyingthe present invention;

FIG, 2 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 showing the attachment securedto a tampon applicator;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the attachment shown in FIGS. 1 and2, the attachment being connected to a conventional tampon applicator;and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and particularly to FIGS. 3 and4 thereof, the conventional tampon applicator is designated by thereference character 10 and is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in combination withthe detachable attachment 12. The tampon applicator comprises an outerrigid paper cylinder 14 having a telescoping inner cylinder 16 disposedin one end thereof. Filling substantially the entire remainder of theouter cylinder 14 is the tampon 18 having a string 20 connected theretofor subsequent removal of the tampon. The tampon, of course, is made ofa soft fibrous absorbent material such as cotton. The tampon 18 maybeejected from the applicator 10 by holding the cylinder 14 stationary andtelescoping the inner cylinder or ejector 16 into the outer cylinder 14to thereby force the tampon 18 out of the outer cylinder. This force istransferred to the tampon due to the fact that a portion of the tamponis in abutting relation with the inner edge 22 of the ejector 16.Clearly, in order to completely eject the tampon 18 from the applicator10 it is necessary for the edge 22 of the ejector 16 to be moved intoregistry with the forward edge 24 of the outer cylinder 14. Afterejection of the tampon 18 from the applicator 10 the entire applicatoris removed by the user by moving the now telescoped outer and innercylinders 14 and 16, respectively, finally in a longitudinal direction.This is generally effected by gripping the outer cylinder.

Thus, to apply the tampon and subsequently to remove the applicator theouter cylinder must be first held in a fixed position in order to effectmovement. of the ejector and thereafter the outer cylinder must begripped to remove the inner and outer cylinders as a unit.

To provide means for easily gripping the outer cylinder, I have providedthe attachment 12. Attachment 12 is made out of a rectangular sheet ofrelatively stifi flexible material such as, for instance, cardboard,plastic or metal. A central aperture 28 is provided in the sheet 26.Central aperture 28 is slightly smaller in diameter than the outerdiameter of the outer cylinder 14 of applicator 10. Surrounding aportion of the periphery of aperture 28 is a flexible portion 30 ofsheet 26 which flexible portion may be flexed out of the plane of sheet26 to thereby enlarge aperture 28 to permit the reception of the outercylinder 14 into the aperture 28. As shown herein sheet 26 is providedwith two such flexible portions 30 and 32 which portions result from theprovision of longitudinally extending slots 34, 35, 36 and 37, all ofwhich are shown herein as substantially tangential to but incommunication with the aperture 28. In lieu of the substantiallytangential radiation of the slots other angular radiations may beemployed. However, the tangential slots enlarge the diameter of aperture28 in a direction perpendicular to the axis between the flexing portionsto insure that the only obstructions to reception of the tamponapplicator in aperture 28 are the flexing portions. Thus, each of theflexing portions 30 and 32 is connected to the remainder of the sheetonly at its base and is free to move relative to the sheet out of theplane thereof due to its detachment from the sheet at the remainder ofthe periphery including that portion of the periphery of the flexingpart that abuts the central aperture 28.

To afiix attachment 12 to applicator 10 the attachment is arranged in aplane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the applicator and ismoved forward from the rear end of ejector 16 which readily fits withinthe aperture 28. When the applicator is moved forward sufiiciently toabut against the trailing edge 38 of the outer cylinder 14 movement willbe hampered due to the abutment of the portions of flexing parts 30 and32 surrounding aperture 28 with the trailing edge 38 of the outercylinder 14. However, movement can be eflected by the application of aslight force which force will cause a flexing of the flexing parts 30and 32 out of the plane of the rest of the sheet 26 to thereby enlargeaperture 28 to permit it to receive the outer cylinder 14. Movement ofthe applicator 12 is continued until it is certain that the arcuateperipheries of the flexing parts 30 and 32 overlie the circumference ofouter cylinder 14 at which point the movement is stopped.

With the applicator attachment so positioned (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4)the outer cylinder 14 may be inserted into the vagina of the user bygrasping attachment 12 and moving it towards the users body to therebymove the outer cylinder into the users vagina. Thereafter, the ejector16 is telescoped within the outer cylinder '14 to eject the tampon 18.With the applicator in this condition, heretofore, it has, in the past,been difficult to remove it. However, with the attachment 12 overlyingthe outer cylinder 14 the attachment 12 may readily be gripped by usingone or both hands and then moved outwardly of the users vagina. Duringthis movement, the

flexing means 30 and 32 will tend to dig into the outer cylinder andthus prevent movement of the applicator attachment relative to the outercylinder. Hence, moving the attachment will move the outer cylinder withthe enclosed inner cylinder along with it to thus remove the entireapplicator. Thereafter, the attachment 12 may be detached from the outercylinder of the applicator, the applicator may be disposed of, theattachment 12 may be washed and is ready for subsequent use. In lieuthereof the applicator 12 may be also disposable as it is an extremelyinexpensive item.

While I have herein shown and described one form of the presentinvention and have suggested various changes and modifications therein,other changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope ofthe appended claims Without departing from the spirit and scope OK thisinvention.

What I claim is:

1. In a tampon applicator of the type including inner and outertelescoping members, a sheet of relatively stiif flexible materialhaving an aperture therewithin, said aperture being of slightly smallerdiameter than the outer diameter of said outer telescoping member, saidsheet having a portion thereof surrounding a portion of said apertureadapted to be flexed out of the plane of said sheet to enlarge saidaperture, said outer telescoping member passing through said aperture todetachably connect said sheet to said outer telescoping member.

2. A tampon applicator, comprising inner and outer telescoping members,a sheet of relatively stitt' flexible material having an aperturetherewithin, said aperture Ibeing of slightly smaller diameter than theouter diameter of said outer telescoping member, said sheet having aportion thereof surrounding a portion of said aperture adapted to beflexed out of the plane of said sheet to enlarge said aperture, saidouter telescoping member passing through said aperture to detachablyconnect said sheet to said outer telescoping member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 70,600Moyer Nov. 5, 1867 897,050 Beck Aug. 25, 1908 2,221,498 Tinnerman Nov.12, 1940 2,489,502 Ruth Nov. 29, 1949

